Yi Jianlian found it difficult to defend Scola.
Scola didn't win with his vertical leap, but with his dreamlike footwork, which Yi Jianlian struggled to keep up with.
Seeing Scola receive the ball again, Yi Jianlian became nervous and stuck close to him.
But Scola leaned against Yi Jianlian, constantly shaking from side to side, making it impossible for Yi Jianlian to predict which direction he would attack from.
Indeed, Scola noticed that Yi Jianlian's center of gravity was leaning to the right, so he immediately drove in from the left.
This rhythm was simply unbeatable.
Just as Yi Jianlian was helpless, Da Yao suddenly burst forth, covering Scola entirely in the air.
Having played together for so long as teammates, Da Yao was very familiar with Scola's style of play.
In the second half, Da Yao intensified his help defense. Knowing that Yi Jianlian couldn't stop Diamond, he simply came over early to provide support.
The moment Scola saw Da Yao, he knew it was over.
It was too late for him to pass the ball; Yi Jianlian and Da Yao had blocked all passing lanes.
Ginobili and the other Argentine players outside were desperately eager for Scola to pass the ball, but he failed.
As a result, the 24-second violation expired, possession changed, and Team China went on the offensive.
Scola was dejected, lowering his head as he retreated to half-court. Ginobili went over to high-five him and offer encouragement.
Ginobili could see the changes in Team China in the second half; they had improved by two levels on both offense and defense.
If Argentina didn't respond, Team China would likely pull away in the third quarter and establish a winning lead!
Team China went on the offensive. Li Feng dribbled the ball past half-court. Knowing he couldn't defend Li Feng alone, Ginobili, along with Delfino, double-teamed him.
Li Feng was prepared. He dribbled the ball slowly, observing Da Yao's position.
According to Team China's previous tactics, Da Yao would certainly engage in a physical battle in the paint, establish position, call for the ball, and then pound his way to score two hard-earned points.
After a few such plays, Da Yao would be gasping for air.
However, after discussing their plan at half-court, Da Yao and Li Feng exchanged a glance.
This time, instead of fighting physically with the opposing center, Da Yao suddenly retreated to the corner.
The Argentine center, Oberto, was bewildered.
He didn't understand Da Yao's intention; was he going to shoot a three-pointer? Impossible...
As Oberto hesitated, Li Feng had already passed the ball.
Only after Da Yao received the ball did Oberto realize that he was going for a long-range shot!
He rushed to block him, but it was too late.
Yao Ming's height was already a factor, making it impossible for anyone to block his shot, and his release was quick.
Swish!
Another three-pointer!
59:55!
Team China was now leading by four points!
The audience was stunned. Da Yao had shot a three-pointer?
Furthermore, it was a connection between Li Feng and Yao Ming; the chemistry between these two was growing.
After making the basket, Yao Ming playfully held up three fingers and ran towards Li Feng, and they embraced.
This three-pointer was of great significance, signaling a significant enhancement in Team China's tactical repertoire, requiring Argentina's defense to adjust.
Indeed, Argentina's head coach looked ashen-faced. He shook his head helplessly and called a timeout.
Da Yao's three-pointer disrupted Argentina's game plan. They had to come up with a solution, or Argentina would collapse.
In the TNT broadcast booth, Barkley and Smith were exclaiming.
Yao Ming had played in the NBA for so many years and had occasionally shot three-pointers, but those were usually when the shot clock was about to expire or were desperation heaves, not part of a regular strategy.
Everyone assumed Da Yao's offensive method was confined to the paint.
"My God, what is Yao Ming doing? Has he changed his playing style?" Barkley's eyes were wide open.
Smith was also perplexed because his perception was still rooted in old-school traditional basketball.
"Will Yao Ming's play lead Team China to victory?"
Seeing Smith's worried expression, Barkley shook his head and retorted, "Smith, your ideas are outdated. How can you be more stubborn than me?"
"Look, Nowitzki was once called a softie, but he won an MVP, and the Mavericks had great records. It shows that big men shooting threes is perfectly fine!"
"But scoring inside is relatively easier. If everyone goes to the perimeter, what about the inside?" Smith still didn't understand.
"Of course, the inside players have to make choices. For Yao Ming, developing a three-point shot is very easy because he already has a good shooting touch. For someone like Howard, no matter how much he practices, it's useless."
Barkley's disdain for Howard was nothing new.
Smith acknowledged Yao Ming's shooting ability, nodding, "Indeed, Yao Ming's three-point percentage is definitely not low. With this inside-outside combination, his stamina won't be as depleted."
"Exactly. Look at that last play, how easy it was. He just retreated to the corner, caught the ball, and shot. Who could block him?"
"If it were the first half, he would have had to battle Oberto inside and prevent Scola from sneakily stealing the ball. He would have been exhausted, and even if he scored, it would only be two points."
As they argued, they eventually reached a consensus: Team China's new tactic was very successful!
In the Team China sports channel broadcast booth, Yu Jia and Zhang Jiao also had differing opinions.
Yu Jia was very excited about Yao Ming's three-pointer, waving his hands and shouting, but Zhang Jiao frowned slightly.
"Coach Zhang, do you not understand Da Yao's three-pointer?"
"It's not that I don't understand. Wang Zhizhi used to like shooting three-pointers, but I think it's a bit of a waste for Da Yao to shoot threes."
"It's alright. Judging by the looks exchanged between Li Feng and Da Yao, this was a pre-planned play, a successful connection."
Zhang Jiao nodded slightly, "Indeed, when Li Feng passed the ball, he was secretly observing Da Yao's movement. I really didn't expect that!"
"Coach Zhang, what adjustments do you think Argentina will make after the timeout?"
"I think... Oberto might be pulled out to the perimeter by Da Yao, and then Li Feng might increase his drives to the basket."
Yu Jia's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly, impressed by Coach Zhang's analysis.
"Brilliant! This way, there will be plenty of space in the paint. Oberto will be in a dilemma, and Team China might go on a run!"
...
During the timeout, there was laughter and celebration on Team China's side. The players all came to high-five Da Yao to congratulate him, as this was his first three-pointer since the Olympics began.
Li Feng was also excited. His first tactical adjustment with Da Yao had been successful. Now, it was up to Argentina to respond.
They would deal with countermeasures as they came, and it certainly wouldn't be as smooth sailing.
But that's how the game is played; it's a battle of wits, and it depends on who can laugh last.
Younas took out the tactical board and said, "Kids, after the timeout, you need to spread out to the four corners based on Yao Ming's position, making it difficult for the opponent to defend, giving us more options."
"Yi Jianlian, Sun Dasheng, Zhu Fangyu, you need to find open spots, be ready to receive the pass at any time, and shoot decisively!"